Hotel Indigo Verona - Grand Hotel des Arts

I was skeptical reading previous reviews but decided to give it a try for one night during my business trip as I’m an IHG member. Having experienced staying at 5 different hotels in this city — most of them within walking distance on Corso Porta Nuova (main street leading from the train station to many main attractions) — I can say that Indigo was among one of my top 2 choices. The room I stayed in was tastefully decorated — the headboard of the bed immediately attracted attention, striking but elegant, with paintings seemingly telling romantic tales of the city’s history; open wardrobe was clever as it made the room seem spacious while leaving plenty of space for hanging clothes and jackets especially on a rainy day. The balcony was a super nice touch and was my favorite to come back to in the evening with a view of charming Verona at night watching people and cars passing by. Two chairs, a coffee table with blankets and a little bit of floral decorations. I spent a fair bit of time despite the cold and rain, soaking in the beautiful images which were among the most special memories I’d carry with me from this trip. Check-in was super efficient. Anna at the reception was an absolute joy to meet and interact with. She’s super kind, thoughtful and professional in helping me with storing my suitcase as I was in a rush to catch my train to a nearby city on a rainy day; she gave clear, accurate info helping me to go to the train station within 10mins; and on the next day, kindly offered recommendations for cafes. Her passion and enthusiasm and friendliness is above and beyond many of her peers. Her genuine smile stands out from others who might be just trying to get their job done. You can tell Anna is truly exceptional and a wonderful ambassador for Hotel Indigo. Keep up the good work! Breakfast service was super efficient, friendly, attentive. The professional and thoughtful gentleman offered multiple times coffee, tea, orange juice, etc, making sure each guest had everything needed for a good start of the day, quickly clearing dishes while guests stepped away - perfectly seamless. Truly outstanding attention to details. The restaurant offered a good variety of food choices: raw veggies are rare in hotel breakfast buffet but here they did so that was a plus in my book. Fresh fruits, muesli, (no sugar-added) yogurt and scrambled eggs were my go-to. Although I didn’t eat pastries or bread or drink Prosecco for breakfast, if that’s something you like then you’d be pleased to know they offered plenty to satisfy different tastes. The only thing that prevented Indigo from making my No. 1 choice in Verona was the shower. I requested specifically for a shower because from the photos shared by other travelers and reviews many commented that the bath look dated and needed update. I personally do not take baths in hotels so having a new, good water pressure shower with fast efficient drain would be way more important. They did honor my request with a standup shower corner stall. However, the square-shaped shower stall area was so small that my elbows (I’m petite size female) kept knocking on the glass doors. I believe they’re scheduled for major renovation in Jan-Feb 2024 so it’d be interesting to see if they remodel the bathrooms and showers.